Wireless control devices, such as keyboards, mice, and touchpad devices, are commonly used by users with computing devices (e.g., host devices). In order to preserve the battery life of wireless control devices, they may go into a sleep mode (e.g., a reduced power mode) or power off when they have not been used by the user for a predefined amount of time. In those situations, the wireless connection between the wireless control device and a host device may be disconnected. Later, when the user returns and begins to interact with the wireless control device, the wireless control device may return from the sleep mode and enter a fully powered or increased power state.
In prior solutions, to return a wireless control device from a sleep mode to an active mode so that the wireless control device could be re-paired with a host device, the user would have to physically interact with the wireless control device (e.g., press keys on a keyboard device, click a button or physically move a mouse device, touch or swipe a user interface of a touchpad device).
One significant problem with using a wireless control device as described above, arises when the user returns to use the wireless control device. When the user begins interacting with the control device in sleep mode, the interactions may be registered by the wireless control device but the pairing or reconnection process between the wireless control device and the computing device may not be completed. In some situations, the user may begin pressing keys or button, or otherwise interact with the wireless control device without realizing the wireless control device has not completed the pairing process with the host device. This can result in lost user interactions, as only some or none of the user interactions may be sent to the computing device once the devices are successfully paired. For example, if a user interacting with a wireless keyboard in sleep mode begins entering a password, because of the delay caused by the wireless reconnection, one or more characters of the password may be lost, or keystrokes entered by the user may not transmitted to the computing device accurately. This can result in a negative user experience as the user may be forced to re-enter their password or otherwise repeat the lost user interactions. This may also result in lost time and system resources.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems related to connecting or pairing wireless control devices with computing devices.